First Look: Dwayne Johnson is Psyched to Have Idris Elba as Villainous Rival in ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ | Anglophenia

Actor Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” has turned to Instagram to welcome fellow action star Idris Elba (Luther, Pacific Rim) to the Fast & Furious family, with the two starring in the franchise spinoff Hobbs & Shaw.

Johnson’s welcome note is quite detailed, with the former pro wrestler reflecting on his own baddie ways and pointing out his character needs an opponent of equal caliber to put up a good fight, writing, “Heroes are only as great as their greatest villains.”

Here’ the Instagram post, which you can read for yourself:

The film revolves around U.S. Diplomatic Security Agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and his alliance with Deckard Shaw, former British military officer turned mercenary. Shaw is played by Jason Statham, who first brought the character to the screen in 2013’s Fast and Furious 6. He reprised the role in 2015’s Furious 7 and again in 2017’s The Fate of the Furious, where Helen Mirren played his mum.

And where does Elba come in? According to Johnson’s post, Elba will be playing an antagonist by the name of Brixton, who has been brought into the Fast & Furious franchise to “wreak havoc, hell and mayhem on our heroes Hobbs and Shaw.”

Johnson doesn’t get into the specifics of Brixton’s agenda, or what his background is, but, he does include some stats, saying, this villain’s track record is, “undefeated.”

While the details on his character are limited, the first look of Elba as Brixton gives us some insight. Donning a leather protective suit, this man shows up prepared. Johnson has gotten what he wanted, Hobbs has met his match.